On the seabed dozens of kilometers away from the Konoha ninjas who were about to arrive, there was a strange city lying quietly, puffing out bubbles from time to time and emitting strange light.
On the surface, this is a glazed city almost made of crystal, but in fact, it is a movable underwater battle fortress built from countless submarine carriers.
This underwater city, which the mermaids spent several years building and maintaining, is mostly hollow. When compressed air is injected into it, it will provide enough buoyancy to lift the city off the seabed and use the stored energy to drive it. , move in the specified direction.
If you want to sink, just inject ballast water.
In order to save energy, most of the time they are on standby, they stay near the submarine volcano and absorb geothermal heat to meet daily needs.
Generally speaking, this underwater city named "Dragon Palace City" is like a large building complex connected by countless underwater space stations.
When necessary, it can even be broken into pieces and scattered in all directions to avoid overly powerful enemies. Once the enemy's loopholes are discovered, it can perform wolf pack tactics and kill with one blow.
In the central area near the submarine crater, Gu Shanbu Shui stood side by side with a man he had not seen for a long time, looking at the shining giant tree not far away, with its roots embedded in the boiling water magma.
"Lord Governor, where did you find this thing? It absorbs natural energy too fast, right? Even an active volcano that is about to erupt can be suppressed by force, slowing down the energy release, and then turning it into your own use."
"You... are very good, God knows, you have reached the point where you can sense natural energy."
"With your support of so many resources, even a fool can almost achieve something."
"It's also the result of your good understanding. I just gave you a chance. If you can seize it, you have the ability. How far can you go? Do you want to help?"
"I can barely sense natural energy, and even controlling the enhanced effects of ninjutsu is difficult. This is probably the limit of most ordinary people. It can no longer be strengthened by hard work. This is it for a lifetime."
"Yeah! That's a bit of a pity..."
Indeed, with Tenchi's qualifications and the strong support of the Kosugi family, being a jounin is his limit. There is no way forward and he has to drive it on his own.
"It's not completely ineffective. At least, I can now freely control the transformation between mermaid posture and human without losing my life span. This is not bad..."
"You still tried it on yourself?"
"As a researcher, if I don't test the results on myself, I always feel that something is missing. Moreover, after transforming into a mermaid, I feel that my perception of natural energy has become much sharper..."
"Humans are actually a race with very poor qualifications. At least in terms of sensing natural energy, they are much worse than most natural species in the ninja world."
While watching the projection of the sacred tree in the distance absorbing power, Gushan Bushui chatted with Tianzhi and said,
"Has Orochimaru been looking for you recently?"
"Young Governor, you are too worried. Orochimaru-sama will not notice what is going on in the Kingdom of the Sea at all, and you don't even know whether he even remembers me. The people who came to the door are just people under his command who are testing. It’s either Guren or Kabuto Yakushi, especially the latter, he’s so arrogant because he thinks he’s useful to Orochimaru-sama.”
"You are still loyal to Orochimaru!"
"How can a person like me be loyal?"
Tianzhi curled his lips disdainfully,
"If I die, I will be loyal to whoever can help me realize my ideal."
"So it seems that you are loyal to me?"
"certainly!"
As if he heard some strange joke, Gushan Bushui couldn't help laughing. After a long time, he said noncommittally:
"Every smart person will always hide his ambition unconsciously. How do you feel when you watch the race you created develop and grow?"
"I gave them the most hope of living, but the Major Governor gave them more possibilities."
"You were not so good at flattering me a few years ago."
Patting Tianzhi on the shoulder, Gu Shanbu Shui said very calmly,
"From today on, you are the 'Dragon King' of Ryugu Castle. Your first task is to make the mermaid and other demi-human groups more numerous and stronger, and to maintain close communication with the ninja world."
"You will live up to your trust."
After being a puppet scholar for many years, the day finally came when I could make a big splash.
Whether it's Kabuto Yakushi, Guren, or even Orochimaru...
As soon as this rebellious thought came into his mind, Tianzhi quickly buried it deep in his heart.
The more you interact with Gu Shan Bu Shui, the more you realize how terrifying he is.
Tianzhi, who was standing side by side, didn't know what drove him to stand here instead of kneeling down.
It is precisely because Tianzhi, who has become more sensitive to the flow of natural energy after undergoing complex transformations, has sensed what a terrifying monster Gu Shan Bu Shui is next to him.
That strong "inhuman" aura was something Orochimaru had never experienced before.
In the past, Tianzhi scorned the so-called monsters and ghosts, thinking that they were just things created by strong men pretending to be gods. Until a few years later, Gu Shan Bu Shui appeared in front of him again and shattered his so-called ambition.
In the face of absolute power, the so-called calculation and hard work are simply a joke.
"Go, the Konoha ninjas are coming soon, arrange a 'good story' for them so that the mermaids can appear properly in the ninja world."
"But……"
Tianzhi asked with some doubts,
"Others may not know it, but Orochimaru-sama must know it. Even the top management of Konoha Village also know about the 'amphibious ninja' training plan. They may have guessed that the so-called mermaids are amphibious ninjas."
"So what? I'm just creating a background for Yu Sheng. Even if someone guesses it, as long as there is no evidence, they have to acquiesce."
"Will it affect the young governor?"
"You mean the Gushan family will be affected?"
Gushan Bu Shui sneered disdainfully,
"Yes, after I patrolled the Kingdom of the Sea for several years, an aquatic force named 'Ryuugongcheng' suddenly appeared. It is certain that there are speculations, but who would question me face to face as to whether I am the backstage of the mermaids?"
Originally, the Fusagi family had a power that could almost subvert the ninja world. Now it's just that their power and methods have been strengthened. Is there any difference?
Ten thousand nuclear bombs can destroy the world, and one hundred thousand can do the same. If you add one million more nuclear bombs, it will destroy it once or a hundred times. Is there any difference?
Anyway, there is no force that is an enemy of the Gushan family. Now it is just that no force dares to easily be an enemy of the Gushan family. The difference in degree is essentially the same.
"As long as we don't come forward directly and take control of this powerful force, everyone can pretend to be stupid if they can. What else can we do?"
"Then... I am the leader of Ryugu City, commanding all the demi-humans?"
"Don't be too greedy!"
Gu Shan Bu Shui reminded,
"Do you think Dragon Palace City is everything?"
"Well?"
Tianzhi, who instantly realized what Gu Shan Bu Shui meant, bowed his head honestly.
Want to be a military leader who listens to orders but not propaganda?
Yes, yes!
However, there is more to the mermaid than meets the eye. Who knows how many forces Gu Shan Bu Shui secretly hides?
Since the mermaid force can be developed in the blind spots of the five great ninja villages, other forces can naturally be created.
"Don't think too much. What I want is different from what other people want."
The ninja world is prosperous, and the concentration of natural energy is rising steadily. It can support the sacred tree faster and better, and bear more fruits of the sacred tree. Everything else is secondary. In the face of absolute power, there is no room for resistance. .
After understanding Gushan Bushui's plan, Tianzhi had no choice but to act according to the instructions honestly.
If he didn't agree, with his jounin strength, he might not be able to get out of this small area.
------------------
After half a day, the Konoha ninja group finally successfully entered Ryugu Castle after eating, drinking, and taking a nap to restore their strength and chakra.
Looking at the underwater town that was coming and going, almost no different from the outside world, the Konoha ninjas were almost dazzled by the magical place like a mythical palace.
The residents here, except for some inhuman traces on their bodies, can hardly see the difference between them and ordinary people.
Bai even saw a strange man with the face of a shark, and a strong man with cat ears on his head who got drunk and went crazy, and was captured by a patrol holding a harpoon.
It's a wonderful place full of life. If you hadn't looked at the gray sea sky above your head and the water beasts and transformed mermaids coming and going outside the transparent wall, you might have thought you were back on land.
After getting over the initial shock, the Konoha ninjas habitually began to collect information and prepare for their missions.
As the days passed, the Konoha ninjas experienced a series of unspeakable encounters in this almost isolated place. Finally, by chance, they were sent back to the ninja continent.
Ignoring the tedious process for now, more than half a month later, I returned to Konoha Village. Baiyun Yeshan and three students who handed over the task were waiting for the Hokage Sandaime's order.
After reading the mission report over and over again, Sarutobi Hiruzen put down the pipe he had been smoking for a long time, frowned slightly and asked:
"A group of half-human, half-fish intelligent creatures have built a castle on the bottom of the sea. They have grown and developed secretly. They are trading closely with humans on the mainland in places we don't know. And..."
After a pause, Sarutobi Hiruzen asked seriously:
"Their leader, maybe one of them, is named Tianzhi?"
"It's absolutely true! Moreover, I feel that it seems to be very familiar with Konoha ninjas. We are not the first ones he has met."
"You...go down first!"
After driving away Baiyun Yeshan and others, Sarutobi Hiruzen couldn't wait for a moment. After ten minutes, he arrived at the "Root" organization's location.
"Sandaime, why are you here this time?"
Looking at Sarutobi Hiruzen, who looked a little unhappy, Shimura Danzo felt a little strange, but he still asked patiently.
The Hokage Sandaime did not answer directly, but handed over the mission report.
Shimura Danzo read it once and then asked playfully:
"You want to ask what the plan was back then, right?"
"Although I agreed to the 'Amphibious Ninja' plan, Orochimaru, who actually implemented it, and Root, who was responsible for supporting it, did not receive positive feedback. Later, it was declared a failure and the laboratory gave up. The result was nothing."
"I don't know what's going on over there! In fact, Orochimaru rarely intervenes directly. People from the Kingdom of the Sea make their own decisions. I can't say what the secrets are. After all, the war was in full swing at that time. How can you have time to take care of a small island country thousands of miles away?"
At the height of the Third Ninja War, the Mist Ninja and the Konoha Ninja were in a stalemate. The Country of the Sea's "Amphibious Ninja" plan was one of the backup plans to open up flank battlefields and reduce the pressure on the front line.
There were several others activated at the same time. The "Amphibious Ninja" was not very special.
When the Ninja World War is over and the laboratory is closed, the past should be buried in the dust of history.
As a result, a "mermaid ocean kingdom" suddenly appeared. If it was controlled by Orochimaru, then the problem would be serious.
Of course, it is also possible that it is not Orochimaru, but the experimental subject who has escaped from the host, and there is no precedent. For example, the ANBU code-named "A" is the only confirmed user of Wood Release in Konoha Village.
Mermaids are not scary. What is scary is that they are independent and have even developed into a force. That would be troublesome.
This may change the entire ninja world.
"I once saw the name Tianzhi in a certain document. However, it has been too long and a lot of past documents have been lost. The Nine-Tails attack on the village and the fire a few years ago made it difficult to find many things. It’s not here anymore.”
"In other words, Orochimaru must know this God knows?"
"That's why I came to ask you."
"ask me?"
Danzo Shimura's face looked a little ugly. Was he sure that the "Root" organization and Orochimaru were colluding?
"I will send more manpower to look for Orochimaru and figure this out. Can't you ask Jiraiya to ask the psychic beasts from Mt. Myoboku to investigate the matter in the water?"
"The toads from Miaomu Mountain...are fresh water creatures and cannot tolerate salt water."
"That's it!"
After a brief conversation, Danzo Shimura also understood what Hiruzen Sarutobi was thinking.
Realizing the danger, he wanted to ask Orochimaru if he was in control of the situation.
The worst result is not that Orochimaru loses control of the amphibious ninja, but that this powerful force is in the hands of unknown people.
The most terrifying enemy is the enemy who doesn't know the details.
"By the way, Major Governor Gu Shan went to the Kingdom of the Sea a few years ago, and there is no one in the sea who is more informed than them. Do you want to ask?"
"Gu Shan? Maybe they are playing tricks... Huh?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen thought about it,
"It stands to reason that nothing can be hidden from them. The only ones who can turn the entire continent around are the Gushan family. If they want to hide a powerful force in the sea, they are the biggest suspects."
